What are Food Allergies?

« « Skin Care - Tips For Getting Good Skin The Natural Way | Learn the serious symptoms of Eczema » »

Thursday, June 26th, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed

Have you had your body react severely to eating peanuts or other foods? The cause could be food allergies. When the body responds immunologically to proteins in food this could be a food allergy. Sometimes the reaction can be minor and other times as in the case of anaphylaxis the result could be death.

Everyone can respond differently to food allergies. Even one’s bodily systems can respond differently. A person can experience cramps, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, and nausea. Since these symptoms are similar to other problems it is very important to be diagnosed correctly so that you receive the proper treatment.

In the respiratory system, food allergies may manifest as runny nose, scratchy throat, coughing, sneezing, or wheezing. In more severe reactions you may experience shortness of breath or difficulty swallowing. If you ever have a more severe reaction it is recommended you seek medical attention immediately.

Food allergies can manifest in the skin as well. Itching in the membranes of the eyes, skin, mouth and throat can occur. In addition, eczema and hives could be the body’s response. Severe reactions such as swelling of the tongue, throat, lips or face should be treated immediately as they could lead to airway restriction.

Food allergies can affect your nervous system resulting in mood swings and depression.

Some folks are predisposed to Immunoglobulin E (IgE) response. This is where antibodies are produced in the body that attack non-disease causing substances which for food allergies it is the protein in certain foods. As the food passes into the digestive tract the body releases IgE which causes other chemicals such as histamine to be released as well. This can cause swelling which will appear as an upset stomach.

Skin prick and blood tests are some of the tests an allergist would use to diagnose the allergy. In addition, the allergist will review your history of reactions.

Skin prick tests introduce a tiny amount of different possible allergy causing substances and they look for a skin reaction. While it can determine if the body will have a reaction to a certain type of food allergen, it cannot predict what might happen if a person ingests that food allergen. In blood tests, the level of IgE antibodies is measured. There are certain levels of accepted IgE levels for certain foods and if they are higher than that then a person is considered to have a food allergy.

So what does one do? Avoidance is always the first course of action. Read the food labels and in restaurants be sure to ask for more information when in doubt. For the severe reactions Epipen can be prescribed. Epinephrine is administered which can halt a severe reaction.

About the Author: Allen Opheimer is an expert staff writer for First Stop Allergies Get more facts on Food Allergies at First Stop Allergies. You are welcome to reprint this article - but get your own unique content version here.